How the Stigma of Mental Health Is Spread by Mass Media

How the Stigma of Mental Health Is Spread by Mass Media Basics Print How the Stigma of Mental Health Is Spread by Mass Media By Naveed Saleh, MD, MS twitter linkedin Naveed Saleh, MD, MS, is a medical writer and editor covering new treatments and trending health news. Learn about our editorial policy Naveed Saleh, MD, MS Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Richard Fogoros, MD on October 26, 2017 Richard N. Fogoros, MD, is a retired professor of medicine and board-certified internal medicine physician and cardiologist. He is Verywells Senior Medical Advisor. Learn about our Medical Review Board Richard Fogoros, MD Updated on February 15, 2020 xavierarnau / iStock More in Psychology Basics Psychotherapy Student Resources History and Biographies Theories Phobias Emotions Sleep and Dreaming In the aftermath of an unconscionable act of random violence, many people are inclined to label the perpetrator “crazy.” Although the criminal may have a mental illness, automatically assigning the label “crazy” does a great disservice to people who live with mental illness every day. In reality, somebody with mental illness is much more likely to be a victimâ€"rather than a perpetratorâ€"of violence.?? Calling a violent offender “crazy” spreads a dangerous stereotype and belies the complex relationship between criminality and mental illness. The media teaches us about people with whom we do not routinely interact. This constant flow of data gives us incessant social cues about the nature of other groups of peopleâ€"including which groups of people should be praised or scorned. Media portrayals of those with mental illness often skew toward either stigmatization or trivialization. Consequently, all forms of mediaâ€"including television, film, magazines, newspapers, and social mediaâ€"have been roundly criticized for disseminating negative stereotypes and inaccurate descriptions of those with mental illness. What Is Stigmatization? Stigma happens when some person is viewed as an “other.” This other is denied full social acceptance. Here is how stigma is defined by Ahmedani in a 2011 article titled “Mental Health Stigma: Society, Individuals, and the Profession”: The most established definition regarding stigma is written by Erving Goffman (1963) in his seminal work: Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity. Goffman (1963) states that stigma is an attribute that is deeply discrediting that reduces someone from a whole and usual person to a tainted, discounted one (p. 3). The stigmatized, thus, are perceived as having a spoiled identity (Goffman, 1963, p. 3). In the social work literature, Dudley (2000), working from Goffman’s initial conceptualization, defined stigma as stereotypes or negative views attributed to a person or groups of people when their characteristics or behaviors are viewed as different from or inferior to societal norms.?? Of note, stigmatization is so entwined with the media that researchers have used newspaper articles as a proxy metric for stigma in society. Stigmatization of Mental Illness By the Media Some examples of how the media may stigmatize mental illness include: First, mental illnesses such as schizophrenia are seen as so disruptive to society that those with such conditions must be isolated from society altogether. Second, media accounts focus on the individual with mental illness rather than framing mental illness as a societal issue. Consequently, media consumers are more likely to blame the individual for the illness. Third, people with mental illness suffer from overgeneralization in media portrayals; everybody with a specific condition is expected to portray the same characteristics of the disease. For instance, depictions that all people with depression are suicidal, and all people with schizophrenia hallucinate. (In reality, only between 60% and 80% of people with schizophrenia experience auditory hallucinations, and a smaller number experience visual hallucinations.) Fourth, media portrayals discount the fact that many people with mental illness don’t need to disclose this condition to everyone around them. Insteadâ€"whether by intention or notâ€"mental illness often goes unrecognized. Portrayals in the media, however, present situations where everyone knows about a character’s mental illness, and this mental illness is no longer concealed. Fifth, the media portrays mental illness as being untreatable or unrecoverable. Trivialization of Mental Illness By the Media Here are some possible ways that trivialization can rear its head in the media. First, the media promotes mental illness as either not being severe or being less severe than it really is. For instance, many people with anorexia feel like their condition is made out to be less severe than it really isâ€"in part because people with the condition who are portrayed in the media minimize its serious and hide severe consequences. In reality, the death rate of anorexia is the highest death rate of an eating disorder. In an oft-cited meta-analysis published in JAMA Psychiatry in 2011, Arcelus and colleagues analyzed 36 studies representing 17,272 individual patients with eating disorders and found that 755 died.?? Second, mental illness is oversimplified in the media. For instance, people with OCD are depicted as being overly concerned with cleanliness and perfectionism. However, the obsessive thoughts that drive these compulsions are overlooked. Third, the symptoms of mental illness are portrayed in the media as beneficial. For example, in the television series Monk, the protagonist is a detective who has OCD and pays close attention to detail, which helps him solve the crime and advance his career. Fourth, using media channels, people without disabilities mock people with disabilities by appropriating mental-illness terminology. For instance, the hashtag OCD (#OCD) is commonly used on Twitter to describe attention to cleanliness or organization. Depictions of Schizophrenia in Film Probably the most disparaging stigmatizations of mental illness in media lie in the film portrayals of antagonists with mental illness. In particular, characters with schizophrenia are presented as “homicidal maniacs” in “slasher” or “psycho killer” movies. Such portrayals disseminate misinformation about the symptoms, causes, and treatment of people with schizophrenia and other forms of severe mental illness. Of note, popular movies have been shown to exert potent influences on attitude formation. In a 2012 article titled the “Portrayals of Schizophrenia by Entertainment Media: A Content Analysis of Contemporary Movies,” Owen analyzed 41 movies released between 1990 and 2010 for depictions of schizophrenia and found the following:?? Most characters displayed positive symptoms of schizophrenia. Delusions were featured most frequently, followed by auditory and visual hallucinations. A majority of characters displayed violent behavior toward themselves or others and nearly one-third of violent characters engaged in homicidal behavior. About one-fourth of characters committed suicide. Causation of schizophrenia was infrequently noted, although about one-fourth of movies implied that a traumatic life event was significant in causation. Of movies alluding to or showing treatment, psychotropic medications were most commonly portrayed. These portrayals were wrong and damaging for several reasons, including the following: Portrayals of schizophrenia in recent movies often focused on the positive symptoms of the disease, such as visual hallucinations, bizarre delusions, and disorganized speech. These symptoms were presented as commonplace when, in fact, negative symptoms, such as poverty of speech, decreased motivation, and flat affect, are more common.Several movies spread the false stereotype that people with schizophrenia are prone to violence and unpredictable behavior. Moreover, some movies presented people with schizophrenia as being “possessed.” These violent stereotypes poison viewers and engender harsh negative attitudes toward mental illness.In these movies, 24% of the characters with schizophrenia committed suicide, which is misleading because in reality only between 10% and 16% of people with schizophrenia commit suicide during the course of a lifetime.Characters with schizophrenia were usually depicted as white males. In reality, schizophrenia disproportionately affects African America ns. Furthermore, schizophrenia affects men and women almost equally.In a few movies, schizophrenia is depicted as secondary to traumatic life events or curable by love, which are both misrepresentations of the disease. On the bright side, Owen found that not all the information presented about schizophrenia in the modern film was stigmatizing.?? For example, in more than half of the movies analyzed, the use of psychiatric medications was depicted or alluded to. Furthermore, nearly half the characters with schizophrenia were depicted as poor, which jells with the epidemiological data that suggest people of higher socioeconomic means are less likely to experience schizophrenia. Ultimately, negative portrayalsâ€"especially violent negative portrayalsâ€"of people with schizophrenia and other severe types of mental illness in the media contribute to stigmatization, stereotyping, discrimination, and social rejection. What Can Be Done About the Stigma of Mental Health We still need to better understand how these messages are disseminated by the media before we can act to rectify them. Currently, there is limited research examining how the media promotes mental-illness stereotypes, stigmatization, and trivialization. Nevertheless, certain suggestions regarding how to improve the depiction of those with mental illness in the media have been made. Analyze mass-media production procedures to better understand the current practices, needs, values, and economic realities of screenwriters, producers, and journalists. For instance, understanding the balance between being newsworthy or emotionally arousing and verifiable.Present mental illness only when relevant to the story.Prefer non-individualized descriptions of mental illness and instead focus on the societal aspects.Include expert input from psychiatrists during production.Implement a mental health short course when training journalists.Use mental-health terminology with precision, fairness, and expertise. As individuals who consume copious amounts of mass media and engage on social media routinely, the best thing that we can do is to stop using words like “crazy” and “deranged” in a derogatory or flippant fashion. Moreover, it’s best not to make psychiatric diagnoses outside of a clinical setting. Only a specialist can make a diagnosis of OCD, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and so forth. By labeling without proof, we hurt those who really live with mental illness on a daily basis.

broken spears focus paper - 802 Words

The Broken Spears Focus paper In The broken spears, author Miguel Leon-Portilla gives accounts from the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire in 1519. These accounts include several texts written by surviving indigenous people of the Aztec civilization; these perspectives truly shows the emotion, fear, and uncertainty the Aztec’s felt in depth during this time. With the accounts in our textbook and the broken spears, we are able to draw conclusions viewing both facts and experiences through this prevailing point in world history. 1492 was a turning point for the Spanish, Columbus’s successful settlements in the new world encouraged further expeditions to discover resources and spread Christianity abroad. As we learned last week the†¦show more content†¦Traditions encounters explains how European explorers and settlers had the desire to spread Christianity, the text states; â€Å"over time, and despite considerable initial resistance, Christianity did win adherents.†3 Traditions encounters fail to explain the initial resistance of the religious battle, although the broken spears explain the massacre during the fiesta honoring Huitzilopochtli in great detail in chapter eleven. Chapter eleven in the broken spears also describes how small pox broke out in Tenochtitlan, â€Å"sores erupted on our faces, our breasts, our bellies; we were covered with agonizing sores from head to toe.†4 The text continues in dramatic detail about the pain, suffering, and deaths the people of Tenochtitlan experienced. Traditions encounters vaguely describes this epidemic as, â€Å"Small pox raged though the city, killing inhabitants by the tens of thousands.†5 Ten years before the arrival of the Spaniards the Aztecs experienced eight bad omens described by Sahaguns informants. These accounts show how terrified the Aztecs were during this time, describing how, â€Å"the natives were overcome with terror, weeping and shouting and crying out.†6 In the following chapters the reports and experiences make you understand how the omens made the people ofShow MoreRelatedCharles Martel And The Franks Versus The Moorish Kingdom1670 Words   |  7 Pageswas the kingdom of the Franks, this stretched from the English Channel and North Sea coasts to the Mediterranean, and from a narrow holding on the Atlantic coast north of Aquitaine to Bavaria and Saxony. 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The Life and Poetry of Langston Hughes Essay - 776 Words

According to Becky Bradley in American Cultural History, Langston Hughes was born February 1, 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. Growing up, he dealt with some hard times. His parents divorced when he was little and he grew up with neither of his parents. Hughes was raised by his grandmother since his father moved to Mexico after their divorce and his mother moved to Illinois. It was when Hughes was thirteen that he moved out to Lincoln, Illinois to be reunited with his mother. This is where Hughes began writing poetry. However, the family moved again and finally settled in Cleveland, Ohio (Bradley, pars. 1-3). Author Larry Neal writes that after his high school graduation, he spent a year in Mexico and then spent a year at Columbia†¦show more content†¦They made the African American voice respected, heard and a meaningful part to the American culture (Wallace 56-64). Harold Bloom notes that this movement brought an extraordinary creative activity in not only writing but also art and music. It redefined the expressions of African Americans and their customs. The Harlem Renaissance affected people then and still affects people today. It gives something to artists to write or even draw about and to show others the struggles they have gone through. Langston Hughes’s poem â€Å"Harlem† is just one of the thousand outcomes of the Harlem Renaissance. They all, through their poems, art and music had a strong sense of racial pride. They wanted to gain equality, attack racism, and most of all celebrate African American culture (Bloom 113-127). In Line 1 of â€Å"Harlem†, we are introduced to what happens to a persons dreams get put on hold for some time. Hughes then asks, â€Å"Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?† (2-3). A raisin at first, is a grape, moist, round and juicy. However, it has shriveled up to become this dried up raisin. This simile is perfect because a dream deferred just shrivels up in our mind; we have let too much time pass to go back to fulfill the dream. 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Miss Greenford Free Essays

Miss Greenford sat behind her 95 years old typewriter she inherited from the father to type down a letter to her only son who serves with the US army. She said, †Dear John, I miss you so much, my second baby. Daddy hasn’t being feeling well for the past three months and he is worried he wouldn’t make it before you return from the war. We will write a custom essay sample on Miss Greenford or any similar topic only for you Order Now His wish is to see you before going home. Please do come quickly when you get this letter. Grandma sends her greetings, and Doggy your cat too. While she sat typing, John, in the silence of an explosion from the enemy’s camp, swallowed a bullet. †Retreat everyone†, the General shouted. Lieutenant Jamal from Afghanistan carried his friend on his shoulder and ran into the tent where the nurses tended the wounds of the injured soldiers. †Johnny, Johnny please speak to me. Open your eyes† he solemnly requested but John quietly was giving up the ghost. The only word that came out of his mouth was ‘mama’. Lieut. Jamal cried! He has lost the only friend in the army that cared for him.He remembered how he used to play basketball with John alone as all the guys refused his company and called him names. One day at assembly, it was announced a war has broken up between the US and Russia and all males were entreated to enlist in the army asap. Jamal was frightened to death because he never liked the sound of a gun. Growing up in a ghetto where the father was a warlord, he was called Ja, the whimp. He always hides under the bed during a fight of guns on the streets but John encouraged him that they can do it. He will be there for him anytime and protect him against the bullies. John was the brother Jamal never had. And now he doesn’t know how he can manage without him.Back home, Miss Greenford bought a stamp at the post office, sealed her letter and posted it to his loving son. She can’t wait to see him after eight solid months of separation. This war has had a toll on everyone. Miss Greenford herself has been feeling a severe ache in her left breast lately. Scared of the worst, she has refused to visit the hospital for a checkup. †I need to be strong to take care of my two boys, John and his father†, she always whispers to herself. Three weeks later, on the day Miss Greenford had planned on passing by the post office to check if her son has replied, there was a loud knock on the door which startled even the flower pot on the window pane and it came crushing on the floor.’Who is there?’ she shouted from the kitchen. ‘Friends of John, the voices echoed. Miss Greenford dashed out of the kitchen like a flash of lightening only to get to the door to see men dressed in uniform carrying a coffin. Immediately, she collapsed. She woke up to the news of her husband passing out of cardio attack when he wheeled his chair to the door because he also heard the shout of †friends of John† from his room.†Both my boys had left me, she cried. What does it profit me to be alive and not happy? The two things that gave me joy have been snatched from me, mama†. Old mama Gracie was there to console her daughter. She told her not stop crying. She should spit every phlegm of bitterness out, then she can have her peace. †I have been here before and I know how it feels but don’t worry it will make you stronger. It always does† Your daddy died in the war too. The only man I have ever known tasted death while in an amour defending his country. But he died a happy man. He died knowing that at least he paid his dues to his country. So sad he was before he died when I was pregnant with you for two weeks that the doctor said it is a girl. We had both been praying for a boy, but he prayed more fervently because he wanted his son to be a soldier, a protector of the state and dreams of America. Though disappointed, he loved you so very much, my baby. Be glad you gave daddy a soldier, now his soul will rest in peace. How to cite Miss Greenford, Papers

The Origin of Old-Earth Geology and its Ramifications free essay sample

Dr. Terry Mortenson in the article The Origin of Old- Earth Geology and its Ramifications on Life in the 21st Century, discusses a well know debate that goes back many years. In this review I will give a brief overview of what the article itself is about. Along with that, I will discuss some of the strengths and weaknesses that I have found and thought about. There are some very great points in this article, as well as weak points. I think it is important to discuss both. Overview: The Origin of Old-Earth Geology and its Ramifications on Life in the 21st Century is an article by Dr. Terry Mortenson. He discusses a well know debate that goes back many years. He mentions three French scientists, Comte de Buffon(1708-88), Pierre Laplace(1749-1827), Jean Lamarck(1744-1829), and how they were involved in the development of theories without the involvement of God. We will write a custom essay sample on The Origin of Old-Earth Geology and its Ramifications or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He defends his arguments with the mentioning of the four scriptural geologist, George Young(1777-1848), George Fairholme(1789-1846), John Murray(1786? -1851), William Rhind(1797-1874)(Mortenson, 2003) . Strengths: I think Dr. Terry Mortenson makes very good points in his article, with great detail. He mentions the French scientists, and give a brief overview of what they brought to the table. â€Å"Three French scientists were prominent in this development. In Epochs of Nature (1778), Comte de Buffon (1708–88), postulated that the earth was the result of a collision between a comet and the sun and had gradually cooled from a molten lava state over at least 78,000 years. Pierre Laplace (1749–1827) published his nebular hypothesis in Exposition of the System of the Universe (1796). He imagined that the solar system had naturally and gradually condensed from a gas cloud during an indefinite but very long period of time. Jean Lamarck (1744–1829), in his Zoological Philosophy (1809), proposed a theory of biological evolution over long ages by means of the inheritance of acquired characteristics† (Mortenson, 2003). He made it clear that a person’s worldview greatly affects their scientific view on creation. The relationship to the belief in God to the belief in creation seems to be the central focus. He mentions the four scriptural geologists as well. â€Å"Four of the most geologically competent scriptural geologists were George Young, George Fairholme, John Murray and William Rhind.8 Their writings demonstrated extensive reading in the scientific (especially geological) literature of their day as well as considerable investigations of geological formations. They were men of strong Christian faith and respected character. Coincidentally these four were all Scottish† (Mortenson, 2003). Weaknesses: I believe with all of the information that Dr. Terry Mortenson gives, he could have given more biblical quotes backing his beliefs. He speaks of the flood, but gives no information from the Bible itself. Catastrophists believed that the creation was ‘untold ages’ old and that from time to time over those ages before man there had been several major catastrophic floods that destroyed a large percentage of living creatures, which God replaced with new, supernaturally created species† ( Mortenson, 2003). Had he backed up his beliefs with more information from the bible, I think I would have believed more myself. He speaks a lot on old theology studies, more towards the 1600s. I think he could have given examples from closer to the time frame the article is actually about. Conclusion: All in all I think the article itself was great. Could he have done better? Yes, but so could anyone else with their articles. It is hard to spot weaknesses myself, because I would like to see the best in everyone. I definitely found all the strengths easily. This article seemed to have a good premise behind the information. All of the information that the author provided was interesting, and thought provoking. Unfortunately, the author fell off topic for the better part of the article, and made ridiculous claims in his final section. The idea that naturalism and the spread of the Old-Earth ideology are remotely responsible in the downfall of society is an over-generalization, unverifiable, and an erroneous hypothesis at best. In my opinion, although an informative article, this document lost its legitimacy, and credibility due to the writer’s inability to convey his information in a concise and non-exaggeration manner. For a person who was looking forward to learning more about the history and development of the Old-Earth theory and valid impacts on today’s society, this article was not impressive.

Understanding the Victim Complex

Understanding the Victim Complex In clinical psychology, a â€Å"victim complex† or â€Å"victim mentality† describes a personality trait of persons who believe they are constantly the victims of the harmful actions of others, even when made aware of evidence to the contrary. Most people go through normal periods of simple self-pity, as part of the grieving process, for example. However, these episodes are temporary and minor compared to the perpetual feelings of helplessness, pessimism, guilt, shame, despair, and depression that consume the lives of persons afflicted with a victim complex. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for people who have actually been victims of physically abusive or manipulative relationships to fall prey to  a universal victim mentality. Victim Complex vs. Martyr Complex   Sometimes associated with the term victim complex, persons diagnosed with a â€Å"martyr complex† actually desire the feelings of repeatedly being the victim. They sometimes seek out, even encourage, their own victimization in order to either satisfy a psychological need or as an excuse to avoid personal responsibility. Persons diagnosed with a martyr complex often knowingly place themselves in situations or relationships most likely to result in their suffering. Outside of the theological context, which holds that martyrs are persecuted as punishment for their refusal to reject a religious doctrine or deity, persons with a martyr complex seek to suffer in the name of love or duty. The martyr complex is sometimes associated with the personality disorder called â€Å"masochism,† regarded as a preference for and the pursuit of suffering.   In this sense, psychologists often observe the martyr complex in persons involved in abusive or codependent relationships. Fed by their perceived misery, persons with a martyr complex will often reject advice or offers to help them. Common Traits of Victim Complex Sufferers Persons diagnosed with a victim complex tend to dwell on every trauma, crisis, disease, or another difficulty that they have ever suffered, particularly those that happened during their childhoods. Often seeking a survival technique, they have come to believe that society simply â€Å"has it out for them.† In this sense, they passively submit to their unavoidable â€Å"fate† as perpetual victims as a way of coping with problems from tragic to trivial. Some common traits of persons with a victim complex include: They refuse to accept responsibility for dealing with their problems.They never accept any degree of blame for their problems.They always find reasons why suggested solutions will not work.They carry grudges, never forgive, and simply cannot â€Å"move on.†They are rarely assertive and find it hard to express their needs.They believe everyone is â€Å"out to get them† and thus trust no one.They are negative and pessimistic, always looking for the bad even in the good.They are often highly critical of others and rarely enjoy lasting friendships. According to psychologists, victim complex sufferers employ these â€Å"safer to flee than fight† beliefs as a method of coping with or completely avoiding life and its inherent difficulties. As noted behavioral scientist, author and speaker Steve Maraboli puts it, â€Å"The victim mindset dilutes the human potential. By not accepting personal responsibility for our circumstances, we greatly reduce our power to change them.† The Victim Complex in Relationships In relationships, a partner with a victim complex can cause extreme emotional chaos. The â€Å"victim† may constantly ask their partner to help them only to reject their suggestions or even find ways to sabotage them. In some cases, the â€Å"victim† will actually wrongly criticize their partner for failing to help, or even accuse them of trying to make their situation worse. As a result of this frustrating cycle, victims become experts at manipulating or bullying their partners into making draining attempts at care-giving ranging from financial support to assuming full responsibility for their lives. In this sense, bullies - looking for someone to take advantage of - often seek persons with a victim complex as their partners.  Ã‚   Perhaps the most likely to suffer lasting damage from these relationships are partners whose pity for the victim transcends sympathy to become empathy. In some cases, the dangers of misguided empathy can be the end of already tenuous relationships. When Victims Meet Saviors Along with bullies looking to dominate them, persons with a victim complex often attract partners with a â€Å"savior complex† looking to â€Å"fix† them. According to psychologists, persons with a savior or â€Å"Messiah† complex feel a consuming need to save other people. Often sacrificing their own needs and well-being, they seek out and attach themselves to people who they believe desperately need their help. Believing they are doing â€Å"the noble thing† in trying to â€Å"save† people while asking nothing in return, saviors often consider themselves better than everyone else. While the savior partner is certain they can help them, their victim partners are equally certain they cannot. Worse yet, victim partners with a martyr complex - happy in their misery - will stop at nothing to make sure they fail. Whether the savior’s motives in helping are pure or not, their actions can be harmful. Incorrectly believing their savior partner will â€Å"make them whole† the victim partner feels no need to take responsibility for his or her own actions and never develop the internal motivation to do so. For the victim, any positive changes will be temporary, while negative changes will be permanent and potentially devastating. Where to Look for Advice All of the conditions discussed in this article are true mental health disorders. As with medical problems, advice on mental disorders and potentially dangerous relationships should be sought only from certified mental health care professionals.   In the United States, registered professional psychologists are certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPA). Lists of certified psychologists or psychiatrists in your area can typically be obtained from your state or local health agency. In addition, your primary care doctor is a good person to ask if you think you may need to see somebody about your mental health. Sources Andrews, Andrea LPC NCC, â€Å"The Victim Identity, Traversing the Inner Terrain,† Physiology Today (February 24, 2011)  Davis, Sheldon E. (September 1945). What Are Modern Martyrs Worth?. Peabody Journal of Education.Seligman, David B. (May 1970). Masochism. Australasian Journal of Philosophy.Johnson, Paul E. (January 1970). The emotional health of the clergy. Journal of Religion and Health.Braiker, Harriet B., Whos Pulling Your Strings? How to Break the Cycle of Manipulation (2006)Aquino and K. Byron, ‘Dominating interpersonal behavior and perceived victimization in groups: Evidence for a curvilinear relationship’, Journal of Management.Messiah Complex Psychology. Flowpsychology.Dangerous delusions: The Messiah Complex and Jerusalem Syndrome. Freethought Nation.

What Is Muriatic Acid Is It Dangerous

What Is Muriatic Acid Is It Dangerous SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Acids get a bad rap- when we hear the word, we often picture some kind of vat of flesh-eating, lime-green liquid. But acids of all kinds, including muriatic acid, have tons of practical uses, and not just for super villains! Homeowners, leatherworkers, and even the pearl industry use muriatic acid on a daily basis. This guide will cover what muriatic acid is, some common uses for it, and how to handle it safely. Muriatic acid is great for heavy-duty cleaners. What Is Muriatic Acid? Muriatic acid, unsurprisingly, is a type of acid. Acids aren’t just dangerous liquids that must be handled with thick gloves (though some are!)- technically, an acid is anything with a pH of 7 or less. That includes vinegar and all citrus fruits, as well as some familiar acids you may have heard of, like hydrochloric acid or oxalic acid, which is found in baking powder and some bleaches. Acids have many practical uses, including for household cleaning or adding flavor to food or beverages. Coca Cola has a pH of about 2.5, making it far more acidic than you’d expect for something we consume on a daily basis! And though bases and acids can be used to counteract one another, consuming a base can be just as dangerous as consuming an acid; lye, drain cleaner, and ammonia are all bases that can be quite dangerous. So how about muriatic acid? Muriatic acid is a form of hydrochloric acid, which has a pH of about 1 to 2. The only differences between hydrochloric acid and muriatic acid are purity- muriatic acid is diluted to somewhere between 14.5 and 29 percent, and often contains impurities like iron. These impurities are what make muriatic acid more yellow-toned than pure hydrochloric acid. Though still highly corrosive, muriatic acid is milder than hydrochloric acid and is therefore more suitable for home use. At a pH of 1 to 2, muriatic acid can be as acidic as stomach acid (which is also in part comprised of hydrochloric acid) or lemon juice. However, pH level is not the sole determinant of its corrosiveness. Despite sometimes having the same acidity as lemon juice, putting muriatic acid on your skin is always riskier than lemon juice. Lemon juice is five to six percent citric acid, whereas muriatic acid can be anywhere between 14 and 31 percent acid. So in addition to having a lower pH and therefore more acidic composition, muriatic acid is also more concentrated than lemon juice- hence why muriatic acid can easily burn bare skin, whereas lemon juice is unlikely to. That’s why it’s always important to use safety gear if you’re working with muriatic acid, even if it’s been diluted, but not so much with lemons. You probably don't want to use muriatic acid for everyday cleaning, but it can be useful! What Are the Uses of Muriatic Acid? Muriatic acid has a variety of uses, many of them industrial. As an acid, many of its uses are for cleaning or removing one substance from another. Some common uses for muriatic acid are: Processing raw leather Removing iron or rust from steel Removing the outside of pearls Household cleaning (basements and toilets with mineral stains) Cleaning bricks Clearing clogged drains Though it might not be as concentrated as some acids, safety gear is still essential when working with muriatic acid. How to Use Muriatic Acid Safely Despite its myriad of practical applications, it’s important to remember that muriatic acid is still derived from hydrochloric acid, a potentially dangerous substance if not properly handled. Always adhere to good safety practices when using muriatic acid, such as: Wear Protective Clothing Muriatic acid may be less concentrated than hydrochloric acid, but it is still capable of causing burns to the skin and eyes. Always wear protective clothing when handling muriatic acid, including long sleeves, pants, gloves, and goggles or glasses. No matter what you’re using muriatic acid for, it’s possible for splashing or wind to cause liquid to land on your skin, so dress appropriately. Add the Acid to Water If you’re diluting your muriatic acid further, always pour the acid into water rather than vice-versa. Adding water to acid can cause a chemical reaction that makes the liquid bubble and spray in multiple directions, potentially causing injury if it lands on skin or eyes. Do Not Mix Muriatic acid is an effective cleaning agent on its own and should not be mixed with chemicals like bleach or potassium permanganate. Mixing these chemicals together produces chlorine gas, which can cause breathing problems and even death. Complete Proper Disposal Muriatic acid must be neutralized by adding baking soda to it. Don’t pour muriatic acid down drains without neutralizing it, as this can cause corrosion and environmental damage. The solution should be at a ratio of 1:50, meaning you must flush the muriatic acid and baking soda with a large amount of water to ensure that it is properly diluted. If possible, dispose of the muriatic acid by containing it in a plastic bucket and taking it to hazardous waste disposal. Use Proper Containment Muriatic acid should be stored in plastic or glass containers, never metal, which it can corrode. What’s Next? Want to enrich your knowledge of acids and bases? These high school science classes could be just the thing! There's lots of fun science you can do at home (and not all of it requires safety gear)- such as making slime! What to know what you'll be learning in AP chemistry? This guide to AP chemistry syllabi will help you plan our your academic year to be even more effective!